Stereotype-casting machine



Oct. 28, 1930. R. A. BROWN STEREOTYPE CASTING MACHINE Filed No v 16, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 waif m flail Oct. 28, 1930.

R. A. BROWN STEREOTYPE CASTING MACHINE Filed Nov. 16, 1928 2 Sheets-Shet 2 Patented Oct. 28, 1930- 7 v t UNITEDlSTATESJ RAY/A. BROWN, or nocxronn. ILLINOIS srEnnotrYPE-oAsrING MACHINE Application filed November s, 1928. I SerialNo. 319,775;

1 This invention relates to stereotype casting I machines of the kind especiallyadapted for use by small newspaper publishers and in jobbing and other printing shops for"*cast- 5 ing stereotype plates from matrices furnished by newspaper, advertising and. other service agencies; The principles of my invention are,however,not limited to stereotype castingmachinesof this particular size or for this particular use, but are generally applicable in the casting of stereotypeplates. Oneof the primary objects of my inven tion is to provide a generally improved and simplified stereotype castingmachine of the character described which will be easy to operate and thoroughly practical for the pur- I poses intended. I

' M invention contemplatesthe provision of a relatively low standard or frame upon: 2 which is mounted a casting box, a melting pot a carriage and asuitable means for heat-,- ing, The casting box, consisting preferably of an upper anda'lower platen pivotally; connected atthe upper ends, is mounted on the'frame so as to swing from a horizontal matrice or work-receiving position to a .vertical pouring position. The melting pot, in the present embodimentof my invention, is 30 supported by a carriage which in turn rests upon aseries of small wheels or rollers. The top of the supporting frame is provided with a track which permits the melting pot and position; I 1.

Fig.2. is a sidefelevation of the machinev 60; showing thecasting box in the pouring posiition and the melting pot and carriage in the. v heating position;

Fig. 3 is aside elevation of the machine showing the casting box, and'melting pot and carriage in thepouring position; and

Fig. 4 is a front view of the machine showing the casting box in the work-receiving position with the platens clamped together. The-dotted lines show the casting'box in the pouring positiona g he castingboxmay be of any suitable construction. In the present case it is composed of a lower and an upper platen designated by 5 and 6', respectively. 7 Cast integrally with the lower platen are the lugs 7 to which'the upper platen is hinged by means of the bolts 1 8 so thatit may be swung into open and closed positions to permit the placing of the matrices and gauges and the clampingof the; same-between the platens. The casting box may be clamped in a closed position by any. suitable means, in this instance by a suitable number of screw; clamps 9 mounted on the lower platen and adapted to be swung into. and out of the operative position. The cast.- ing boxmay be supported byany suitable means-so as to, be capable :of swinging backand forth between a horizontally disposed: work-receiving position and a vertically disposed pouringor metal-receiving position on so the trunnions 10 journaled on the side mem-v bersof the frame 11. a

A simple means for holdingthe casting box in either the work-receiving or the mtal-po'uring position is provided. This consists of a pendent lever 12 mounted on a bracket 13' with its edge bearing against the end of the. trunnion 10, the end of thetrunnion-being slotted as shown at 1-4 to receive the lever at: the desired work-receiving and metal-receive 90 ing positionsv of the" casting box.. Itwillbe seen that the; casting box'may not be swung from one position. to the other without first raising the lever 12 to clear the slots 14 in the trunnion 10; i i I The meltingpot 15 serves as a pot for melts ingand a reservoir for holding the metal for casting the plates. The pot has an open top and a bottom pouring spout and is supported on a. travelingcarriage 17 by the lugs or seats 7 1100 18 whereby a space is maintained between the sides of the melting pot and the walls of the carriage for the escape of waste gases from the heating means. The flow of metal from the pot is regulated by a lever 19 pivotally mounted on the pot at 20, to which lever is attached a counter-balancing Weight 21 and a rod 22 which actuates a suitable plunger located in the spout 16 but not shown since it is well known in the art.

The carriage may take any suitable form whereby the pot may be moved horizontally from a point at one end of the frame designated as the heating position to a point at the other end of the frame over the casting box designated as the pouring position. In the drawings I have shown a preferred form in which the carriage 17 is provided at the base with a number of rollers 23 designed to roll or travel along a track on the top of the frame. Carriage extensions 25 projecting to a point below the horizontal members of the frame are equipped with rollers 26 which bear upwardly against said members to keep the carriage from tipping while being moved from position to position or from beng accidentally overturned. The extensions also serve as stops, bearing against the trunnions 10 when the melting pot has reached the pouring position. Any suitable means may be used for heating the melting pot such as a gas, oil or electric heater. I show here a gas burner 27 supplied by gas from a pipe 28 and supported bya bracket 29 attached to the frame. I A hook 24 on the carriage is provided to hold the upper platen in its proper place while the casting ox is in the work-receiving position. The ends of the carriage are open to provide for the admission of air to the heater under the pot when necessary, and to permit a heating meansto be used which is permanently attached to the frame, the carriage passing to a point over the heater when brought into the heating position.

In the operating of my machine the normal idle position is shown in Fig. 1. We will assume that the burner is lighted and the metal is being melted. The upper platen 6, due to itsclose proximity to the burner and meltin pot will be heated and partially prepared or the casting operation. The lower platen 5 should be heated prior to the casting operation by closing the casting box and casting a blank slug. The operator should then set upthe matrices and gauges in the usual manner and clamp the upper platen down in position by means of the clamps 9 thus putting the casting box in condltion for pouring. I Upon then releasing the lever 12 the casting box maybe swung into the vertical casting position. When the casting drop into the slot in the trunnion and hold the box in a fixedposition ready for pourbox has been rotated to the proper position for casting the lever 12 will ing. The melting pot and carriage may then be moved from the heating position to the pouring position by sliding them along the track until the extensions 25 are brought against the trunnions 10, when the melting pot is also in position for pouring. The operator may then pour by depressing the lever 19 until suflicient metal has escaped to fill the mold. Reversing the operations brings the casting box and melting pot back to their original positions. 7

It will be evident that the operations required are very easily performed. The roller mounted carriage permits the melting pot to be easily and safely moved from the heating position to the casting position. The extensions 25 positively prevent the melting pot from being drawn beyond the pouring position by the operator. Because of the counterbalanced mounting of the casting box it is easily swung from one position to the other, and the lever 12 posltlvely locks it in the proper position.

It is believed that the foregoing conveys a clear understanding of the objects of the invention, and while I have illustrated but a single working embodiment, it should be understood that changes might be made in the construction and arrangement without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

I claim: p y

1. A stereotype casting machine compr sing a frame supporting a casting box including an upper and lower platen pivotally mounted on said frame to rotate from a work-receiving position to a metal-pouring ing position at one end of said carriage to a' pouring position centrally over said casting box when the latter occupies the metal pouring position, one end of said casting box in the work receiving position lyingnext to said carriage in the heating posltion, and means acting between said carriage and said upper platen for securing the latter in an open position. p

2. 'A stereotype castin machine comprising a frame, tracks on t e upper and lower edges of theside members of said frame, a. casting box including an upper and alower platen the formerbeing pivotally mounted upon the latter, means for clamping the platens together, trunnions on the lower platen journaled on the frame between said upper and lower tracks, meansfsecured to said frame for holding said casting box fixedly in either a work-receiving position or a metal-pouring position, a bottom pouringmelting pot, means for heating said melting pot while in a heating position, a carriage supporting said melting pot, rollers supporting said carriage on said upper lat tracks whereby it may travel horizontally from a heating position at one end of said frame to a pouring position, over said castin box carria e extensions ro'ectin downward from said carriage, and rollers attached to said carriage extensions, adapted to cooperate with said lower tracks, to prevent said carriage'from tipping when being moved from position to position, said carriage extensions being adapted to stop against said trunnions to determine the pouring position of said carriage. 3. A stereotype casting machine comprising a frame, a casting box including an upper and a lower platen, the former being I pivotally mounted upon the latter, means for clamping the platens together, trunnions on the lower platen journaled on the frame, one of said trunnions extending beyond said frame and provided with cross slots, means engageable in said slots for holding the cast- In witness of the foregoing I aflix my signature.

RAY A. BROWN. 

